In what ways is technology, industry, and culture of games linked
Most games were developed at the height of computer technology development in the 1980’s. Notably, the early computer games were created in military industrial, academic complexes, which also developed the internet (Flew 120). The games created in the spare time of artificial intelligence unit fashioned the first prototypes of most games that would be a huge success and create a gaming culture all over the world. The release of home video games in 1982 created a worldwide sensation with the profits grossing in several billion dollars. Over time, interaction in the gaming circles and game development has gone hand in hand with the development of technology. Today, game developers have harnessed the power of the internet to increase their sales of new games online dramatically reducing the cost of producing new games. In North Korea, gaming has had such a huge impact on their culture such that there are television stations that broadcast live gaming competitions (Flew 120).
Significance of marketing and branding practices, immerse play, and interactive experiences in gaming
Notably, most gaming producers today have intricately incorporated brands and songs creating a new type of marketing strategies. Not only does this act as a form of advertisement, but also helps gamers identify with some of these items (Flew 122). Immerse gaming has also had a huge impact in interactive experiences among gamers. In North Korea where there is one of the best broadband connections worldwide, gamers have been known to create game baangs (Flew 122). This allows players to interact while engaging in completion. This has become a huge part of the culture in that country.
In what ways do the digital games have implications for issues such as identity, childhood experience, and intellectual property?
Digital games mostly target boys who are still in puberty. As a result, it has created a picture of a teenage boy sitting in a dark room, hardly eating, sitting for long hours in front of a computer playing one of his favorite games. Since it is a reality of most teenage boys, it has had a huge impact on their identity and type of childhood experiences. While people who grew up in the seventies have nostalgic memories about childhood games that they played outside, teenagers growing up in the 21st century only seem to have memories regarding the type of online games they player and how they played them. Flews (128) argue that it has also changed the characteristics of teenagers because their knowledge of the digital games is the only factor that governs their identity instead of realistic social experiences like in the past. However, due to the ability to create their own versions of the games through some of the source codes posted online, they have developed an understanding and appreciation of intellectual property.
How do values encoded in the game reflect offline cultural values? How do games emphasize on subjugated fantasies in the name of play and fantasy?
Researchers argue that values encoded in the terms and services agreement significantly reflect on offline cultural values. In addition, like any other social groups, the players have developed their own distinctive regulations establishing their own norms. However, these norms may be changed over time, Flews (126) states that they do become a big part of the player’s life. This may be because of the long hours that players spend in the gaming online social circles, therefore, influencing heavily on their cultural understanding offline. These digital games also provide an avenue for gamers to act or develop fantasies. The choice in the sex of the avatars and what the avatars can do creates a real life imagination of their fantasies.
How can digital game culture explain the concepts of social production, participatory culture, and social capital?
The digital gaming culture like other types of social software is argued to contain the concepts of social production, participatory culture, as well as social capital. Digital gaming promotes a sense of social capital especially in the games that players connect online or through a network. Over time, the participants often develop a form of engagement even though it is only online Flews (111). The amount of time invested to progress in levels gives the player a sense of satisfaction. The rise of broadband connection leading to long periods that gamers spend interacting creates a participatory culture that is hard to implicate in other social circles today. As a result, the gamers have developed online regulations that translate into social norms explaining the concept of social production digitally.
Work cited
Flew, Terry. New Media: an introduction, 2007. 3rd ed, New Zealand: oxford university press.
